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What Denver IT Recruiters Should Be Talking about in Interviews

November 28, 2018 6min read

IT Recruiting in Denver

IT recruiting in Denver has never been hotter. The Wall Street Journal reported the U.S. cities with the lowest unemployment rates are those with college students and tourists. Maybe that’s why Denver is what Monster.com calls a “millennial hiring paradise.” Many of those millennials are heading to IT jobs. Monster ranks the tech space as Denver’s largest source of job listings, with more than 1,000 jobs posted every three months.

These jobs and the quality of life in the Denver areas are attracting job seekers from all over the world. Denver grew by 100,000 people in seven years, giving Denver IT recruiters plenty of fresh faces to woo into all of those new jobs. But before you think finding talent for your open positions will be easy, consider this fact: your job opening isn’t the only one they’re interested in. You’ve got some competition.

How to Attract the Best Talent

As an IT recruiter in Denver, you know how important it is to get attention. You have plenty of other companies looking for the same talent. Only one company will win. How you attract IT talent is the key. Gone are the days where a fair salary coupled with Friday office happy hours and spontaneous ping pong tournaments did the trick. People are looking for more.

Knowing what the latest hiring trends are isn’t always easy. Things change. You may not know what the other guys are offering, putting you in a constant defensive mode. You may make an offer the candidate will scoff at or your offer may be more than you needed to put on the table. How do you know?

When you work with a Denver tech recruiter, you get the benefit of their extensive knowledge. They aren’t just working for your company. They work for many. They know what others are offering, they know what the current talent pool is looking for, and they can guide you into making the right-fit offer that will set you apart without giving away the farm.

The Job Interview Is a Make-or-Break Opportunity

Once you have an IT recruiter on your side, the game isn’t over. You must also interview the candidates they send your way. Believe it or not, 83 percent of candidates say a negative job interview experience can change their mind about accepting a job they thought they’d want and 87 percent say a positive job interview experience can change their mind about a job they didn’t think they wanted. No pressure, right?

You may have your standard interview questions that you like to use. Are you certain they are putting your company and the job in a good light? Are you giving the candidate a positive interview experience? Do you even know what that would look like?

Once again, consulting with an IT recruiter can help. They should have a wealth of knowledge of the types of questions you should be asking, how you should present your company and the job at hand, the dos and don’t, etc. They can be a fantastic sounding board or help you start from scratch. In essence, Denver IT recruiters can make sure you don’t blow your opportunity in the interview. Keep in mind, the candidate is interviewing you just as much as you are interviewing them. Make sure you’re making the most of your interview time while also ensuring your candidates walk away with good vibes that make them want to sign on the dotted line.

Ask The Right Questions

We’ve been in the IT recruiting business a long time and want to share a little bit of our experience with you. This isn’t a comprehensive list of questions, mind you. We work closely with each of our clients to develop specific, customized questions they can ask candidates. But, we can give you a brief overview of some of the tactics we recommend.

Get to Know Your Candidates

The first thing every Denver IT recruiter understands is that you must treat every candidate as if you’re highly interested in getting to know them. It’s not enough to read from a resume and check off rote questions one by one. Most candidates want the interview to be more personal, to feel heard, that they are interesting, and as if they are being actively pursued.

Ask them about their motivations. Why are they wanting to leave their current job? What inspired them to look at your company? What excites them about a job? What do they do in their free time? How did they get where they are today? Where do they want to be in five years? Ten? Twenty? What are some of their life goals and how do they see their job playing into that?

We always discourage opening an interview with details about a job position, salary or requirements. The first interview is about getting to know them as a person and as a professional. Let them ask you questions and if it leads to job specifics, you can decide if you’re ready to go there yet or if you want to redirect the conversation to a “get to know you” opportunity that goes both ways.

Find Out What’s Important to Them

Once you feel like you have a good understanding of who they are, now it’s time to learn what they are looking for in this particular job. You may not yet be ready to discuss salary, benefits and such, but you can begin to determine whether the job is a good match for what they are looking for.

Ask them what they hope to achieve in this position. Find out if they are looking for growth opportunities and if so, where and what. Discuss their view of the ideal work/life balance. Talk about their current skills and those they may wish to develop. Give them a chance to tell you about how they’ve used those skills in previous jobs and how they believe they can contribute them to your company.

Be Frank about What Would Be Expected of Them

One of the best things you can do during an interview is be honest about the job position. Interviewing a candidate for an open position is similar to online dating. If you paint a picture that’s not exactly accurate, you may attract the wrong talent for the job or risk even the right candidate quitting soon after when they realize you took them on a ride.

Whoever interviews the candidate should have a good understanding of what the role will entail. The candidate is likely anxious about whether or not they can handle the job, so use the interview as a way to weed out those who aren’t ready or willing to take on the daily tasks that will be expected of them. Give them a “day in the life” scenario so they can see what they’ll be doing. You should discuss the opportunities and “fun” parts of the job just as much as the more mundane aspects.

Get specific about the job, including hours, goals, incentives, quotas, etc. so they know what they’re getting into before they say yes. Cover any opportunities for them to develop their skills, advance up the ladder, mentor others, travel, work in teams, etc. They should walk away with a great understanding of what they’ll be doing every day, where they can grow and whether your company is a stepping stone to something better or a place they can call home.

Don’t Give Salary and Benefits Too Much Weight

You may be wondering where the salary and benefits come into play. We don’t often recommend discussing these things during the interviews, particularly the first one or two. Here’s why: first, when you lead with salary and benefits, you’ve failed to sell yourself to them first. If they are only looking for a fat paycheck and benefits, they may only take the job if you offer a certain package. If they fall in love with your company first, however, they may be more willing to negotiate.

Secondly, by laying all of your cards on the table, you give them what they need to try to compare your offer with any others they may have. They may disregard everything else you’ve discussed about the job and jump straight to the apples-to-apples comparison. Sure, salary and benefits will be a major factor in their decision, but there are many other things they need to consider as well, such as your technology stack, flexible work hours, work/life balance, opportunities to develop their skills and advance in the company, company culture and more.

Finally, just as you wouldn’t be impressed with a candidate walking into an interview and announcing they won’t take less than $100,000 a year with full benefits, they don’t necessarily want you to throw out a random number at them before getting to know them first. They want to believe they’re more than a number. They are a person and their offer will hinge on the contributions they can make to your company. They aren’t just a warm body filling a position, but a valued potential team member whose package is customized to them.

Hiring in Denver isn’t difficult. Hiring the right person for the job may be. Consult with a reputable IT recruiter, conduct positive interviews and make an offer your candidates can’t turn down.